Former Ukrainian chief of staff Andrii Yermak formally named as a suspect in a large graft investigation.
Concretely, Andrii Yermak has been tied to a scheme that laundered more than $10 million through construction projects near Kyiv.
Two anti corruption agencies said the investigation is ongoing. Yermak, who resigned in November, has not been formally charged yet. No other suspects have been named.
It is a steep fall from grace for the official, who was the country's lead negotiator in talks with the U.S. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky long resisted calls to remove him.
Yermak's attorney rejected the investigation, saying "this entire situation has been provoked by public pressure."
Tensions related to the war continue in the meantime. Secretary of State Marco Rubio sharply accused Zelensky of lying after the Ukrainian leader claimed the Trump administration was conditioning U.S. security guarantees on Ukraine withdrawing from the Donbas region.
"That's a lie," Rubio told press during a trip to Europe. "And I saw him say that, and it's unfortunate he would say that because he knows that's not true and that's not what he was told."
Rubio insisted the United States never demanded that Ukraine surrender the eastern Donbas region in exchange for future protection from Washington. Instead, he said U.S. officials explained that security guarantees could only begin after active fighting stops.
The clash erupted after Zelenskyy suggested earlier this month that the United States was prepared to finalize security guarantees only if Ukraine withdrew troops from the Donbas, the industrial eastern region partially occupied by Russia since 2014.
Donbas has become one of the most sensitive issues in the negotiations. Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly demanded control over the Donetsk and Luhansk regions as part of any peace settlement. Russia illegally annexed the territories in 2022, though Ukraine still controls parts of both regions.
Rubio said Washington merely communicated Moscow's demands to Kyiv rather than endorsing them.
"We've told the Ukrainian side what the Russians are insisting on," Rubio said. "We're not advocating for it."
Putin, in turn, said during the weekend that he believes the war in Ukraine is "coming to an end" and showed willingness to discuss security arrangements for Europe.
Speaking to press, Putin said his preferred negotiating partner would be former German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, Reuters noted.
In the meantime, European Council President Antonio Costa said last week he saw "potential" for renewed negotiations between the EU and Russia.
